DOVER, DE- Grief, anger, and urgent pleas for change filled Dover City Hall Monday night as neighbors packed a City Council meeting to demand answers and action on the city’s ongoing gun violence.
During the public comment period, dozens of Dover neighbors took the mic to voice frustration with what they see as a lack of response to growing violence in the capital city, particularly youth gun crime.
Among those who spoke was Apollonia Rivera, whose 22-year-old son, Daniel Guzman Jr., was shot and killed on Barrister Place in June.
Over 30 days since his death, Rivera feels little has been done to address the violence.
“The police said they were going to have more patrols. I’ve only seen them seven times since my son died.”
Rivera believes more could have been done — and that her son’s death might have been prevented if the city had taken proactive steps earlier.
“Maybe the shooting wouldn’t have happened. Maybe my son would still be here.”
Dover Police Chief Thomas Johnson says the department is doing all it can with available resources, but added that police are only one part of the solution to this complex gun violence issue.
“We have a vested interest in solving their crime. We care. It’s just we have to do it a certain way because there are rules that we have to follow.”
Also in attendance was Martha Wright, mother of 22-year-old Hassan Perry, who was shot and killed outside McGlynn’s Pub in May.
Wright urged the city to act now to prevent future tragedies.
“You can’t bring my son back. But we can save other children."
Many in the community are now calling for additional safety measures — including cameras, a proposed 8-foot fence between Stoney Creek and Barrister Place, and broader crime prevention initiatives.
Dover’s recently passed city budget includes $10,000 for safety improvements in Barrister Place and $5,000 for expanding neighborhood watch programs across the city.
Second District Councilman Brian Lewis, who has advocated for surveillance upgrades since 2023, said a camera in the alley between Barrister Place and the Stoney Creek development could have helped track the suspect in Guzman’s killing.
“If that camera was there, police could have at least had a direction on where the shooter went."
A cry for help — and a demand for action — continues to echo through Dover City Hall as families and neighbors push for change.